Essential Driving Music: This is the jam.

My internship requires hours of blog surfing. I'm not kidding. Today I stumbled upon an interesting prompt; a reader asked one blogger, "If you had to choose 10 CDs to take on a cross country road trip what would you choose?"

Well. I love music. And I love road trips! Therefore this is a fantastic question.

I'm no stranger to long car trips. I make at least two a year (Boston to Michigan/wherever my parents live.) I also inherited my dad's passion for music so the two of us always travel with carefully crafted road trip CDs.

I'll answer this prompt in two parts: 10 CDs + 1 sample car playlist. Test some of the songs/videos. Tell me what you think.

10 CDS I WOULD TAKE ROAD TRIPPING:

1. Creedence Clearwater, Chronicle: Creedence is perfect travel music. In fact, Creedence is perfect any time music. Songs like Run Through The Jungle and Green River mirror the adventurous atmosphere inevitably accompanying road trips. Chronicle provides a healthy balance of songs you love to sing and songs you listen to as you silently stare at the sunset contemplating the life of a nomad. My only complaint is the absence of Good Golly Miss Molly. But that song alone wouldn't warrant bringing Chronicle Volume Two. I'll just listen when I get home.
2. Streetlight Manifesto, Everything Goes Numb: Every fast-paced song tells a story for you to scream along to. Each is exciting and addicting. Sing along, lose your breath and journey on.
3. RX Bandits, ... And the Battle Begun: This CD is simply epipc. It took longer than expected to grow on me but I would never travel without it. I could listen to this CD on repeat for weeks without getting sick of it. The anticipation and excitement felt when some of these songs being is essential when on a long road trip.
   
4. Kings of Leon, Aha Shake Heartbreak: Fantastic CD. Fantastic band. Wrote enough earlier.
5. Celebration, Celebration: This was my best at-a-concert discovery. I've seen them open for two bands in Boston and found their CD at a secondhand shop after seeing them. Celebration is on every Worcester playlist I make. I get lost in her songs. My favorite is Tonight. Of course I couldn't find it. So here's New Skin.
   
6. Blood Brothers, Burn Piano Island Burn: Perfect if traveling alone or with Joe (or someone else who would tolerate it.) Would not play this with mom or dad in the car for fear of inducing heart attacks. When alone, I often scream along with the singer's high pitched yells. Ideally I'd combine my favorite songs of theirs to make one perfect CD. (I have already created one such playlist.)
7. Common, Finding Forever: To lighten things up a little. Something to sooth my throat and get me swaying instead of thrashing around.
8. Outkast, Stankonia: Because I'd need something a little darker. Spaghetti Junction is one of my favorites on this one.
9. Pearl Jam, Greatest Hits: A throwback. At this point I will just want to sing to something a little more standard.
10. Ministry of Sound, Clubbers Guide Summer 2006: Go on. Judge me. But after hours of driving this long, you too would require a good dose of clubbing music. Blast this, break the speed limit, put on cruise control and take out the glow sticks.
    

15 SONGS FREQUENTLY PLAYING WHEN I DRIVE*:

*These are only some of my favorite driving songs. Playlist.com was missing essentials by ACDC, Rush, Johnny Winter and more.

As you can see, I have a problem.